The best answer to that is… YES, if you really want to get the best possible results from your orthodontic treatment. Many orthodontic patients will never be asked to wear rubber bands, and if you are one of those people consider yourself fortunate. If rubber bands are a critical part of your treatment, wearing them will move your teeth into the desired position.
We may ask you to wear your rubber bands full time, meaning that they should only be taken you when you eat and brush your teeth, and they should be replaced with new bands if possible. Other times, you may be asked to wear them part time only at night.
The Purpose of Elastics
Customized for each patient, rubber bands typically
stretch over tiny hooks on the top and bottom brackets. If worn consistently, these tiny elastics will apply light steady pressure needed to guide your teeth into the correct position.
If you lose your rubber bands or run out, please call the office and we can mail you a pack, or you can stop by the office and pick up more. Rubber bands are crafted from medical-grade latex, which is safe to be in contact with your mouth. For patients who are allergic to latex, we offer latex-free rubber bands.
The Do’s and the Don'ts
DO - Get in the habit of carrying around extra rubber bands and replace them as quickly as possible after removal for eating and brushing.
DON'T - Double up on elastics except when prescribed by Dr. Ross, as this will cause too much
pressure on the tooth or teeth and can actually harm their roots.
DO - Always wash your hands whenever possible before removing or replacing the rubber bands.
DON'T - Overstretch the rubber band or it will lose its strength and it will be ineffective.
DO - Call us if you run out of rubber bands.
DO - Have fun with your braces and rubber bands. There are many different colors available that can let you show off your soon-to-be perfect smile.
Rubber bands are a key part of your orthodontic treatment, and learning how to remove and replace them is an important part to maintaining your braces. Before we set you on your journey to a perfect smile, we'll make sure you understand all there is to know about how to take care of your braces. Of course, if you have any questions about your orthodontic treatment, or orthodontics in general, be sure to contact us.
WEARING YOUR ELASTICS (RUBBER BANDS)
You should wear your elastics constantly, twenty-four hours a day including when you eat a snack, play, and sleep, unless otherwise instructed, taking them out only to brush, floss, put new elastics in, and very occasionally to eat. Most of the time you should eat with your elastics in and replace them with fresh ones after the meal. In fact, when you are eating you're really putting your rubber bands to work and your teeth will move even faster! But, if they really get in your way during a big meal you may need to remove them, even though we urge you to keep them in if you can, especially during casual snacking. You should also wear them when you sleep. Every morning, discard the previous day's elastics and replace them with fresh elastics from the packet we have provided for you. If you play sports keep your elastics in unless you need to wear a mouth-guard. After removing your mouth-guard, put the elastics back in.
You should change your elastics 3-4 times a day, at the very least every 12 hours, even if they are not broken, because after a while they lose their strength and elasticity. It usually takes a couple of days to get used to putting in your elastics and at first you might need to use a mirror, but after a little practice you’ll be able to hook them up with your eyes closed. If for any reason you run out or lose your supply of elastics, call or email the office and we will have a new supply waiting for you at the reception desk, or we’ll mail them to you.
Before you leave the office, be absolutely sure you understand where to hook the elastics.
This is an important phase of your therapy. Failure to wear your elastics full time or as instructed will lengthen your treatment time and will make it more difficult to achieve an optimal result. It’s normal for your mouth, teeth, and jaws to be a little sore for the first few days to a week of wear. Furthermore, if you wear your elastics only intermittently (NOT full time) you will have constant discomfort because your teeth don’t have a chance to get used to them, so be sure to keep the elastics in FULL TIME! Wearing your elastics for several hours, and then taking them off for awhile, then putting them back on, etc., will make your teeth more resistant to moving in the right direction and slow down or stop your treatment progress. In addition to NOT moving the teeth, this part-time wear will keep your teeth constantly sore. Just do the right thing and wear them 24/7!
NEVER DOUBLE UP ON YOUR ELASTICS, even if you skip a day of wear. It may seem to make sense, but will actually SLOW DOWN tooth movement and your progress.
If you have any questions about your elastics, what they do, or how to wear them, please be sure to ask us. We want your orthodontic treatment to go as quickly and smoothly as it can with the best result obtainable. Proper rubber band wear is a big step towards successful completion.